College isn’t just about studying and partying. In fact, most college students are great at multitasking, and juggling school and work. And babysitting is one of the perfect jobs for these students.
Think about it: They have tons of energy, flexible schedules, various interests and collegiate mentors.
So when you’re searching through an online database (like Care.com!), thinking about who can play soccer with one child, while helping the other with math homework, check out the College Caregivers section of the site. You might just find the perfect person who can come by while you to do errands, or make dinner and put the kids to bed while you go on a date night.
> Learn how your college sitter can get the added tax benefit of tuition reimbursement.
Here are 10 reasons why college sitters are a great option.
1. Maturity
Unlike many high school students, college babysitters may have a bit more maturity. They’re often more respectful, responsible and life-experienced.
2. Energy
As you well know, being a parent often goes hand-in-hand with lack of sleep. The older you are and the more responsibilities you have, the less energy you seem to have. College babysitters, however, still have all that great youthful vitality, and can keep up with hyper kids — while parents and older sitters may be left dragging.
3. Flexibility
College babysitters have a big advantage over those who work full-time because of their flexible schedules. Classes don’t meet 9 to 5 every day and on some days, they don’t even have class. A student who is done at 11:00 a.m. every day (and yes, those students do exist!) may be the perfect after-school sitter to pick kids up in the afternoon and care for them until you come home from school.
Likewise, a college student who only takes night classes can be a great babysitter for a few hours during the day. (If you need someone to watch your kids all day, you should hire a nanny who is capable of taking on the additional responsibilities.)
4. Activity
College sitters are experiencing interesting things on their campus every day. They have lots of hobbies and interests they could share with your child. Plus, they often know all about fun — and inexpensive — local activities. Perfect for planning play dates.
5. Dependability
Living in a dorm, college students learn responsibility (Mom and Dad don’t wake them up for class anymore!) and time-management. They’re relying on themselves to get their work done and be organized. You can count on them to be there at the time agreed on — a nice blessing if you’ve experienced unreliable caregivers in the past.
6. Mentoring
College babysitters can be great tutors, as well as role models. Suddenly, your kid wants to be a nurse — just like their sitter is studying to be! They can inspire your children by just being a positive example of what happens when “you do your homework” and “work hard.” (By the way, can you guess which NCAA schools have the best tutors? There might be one near you.)
7. Variety
If nothing else, a college campus provides a great selection of babysitters. If you leave an ad in the Student Union building, it will be seen by a number of possible sitters. Or our College Caregivers program is a great resource for families to post their job needs online in a safe and secure way.
8. Experience
Regardless of their major, most college students have experience babysitting. They may have been a summer camp counselor, a lifeguard, a teen babysitter or even watched their younger siblings for their parents. If you prefer a student with a lot of experience with kids, education and nursing majors usually take classes that focus on child care.
9. Commonality
From baseball to ballet, college babysitters have a variety of interests, and often you can find one to match your family’s needs and your children’s interests too. Having someone closer in age will allow your children to be more comfortable during the separation time from you because of this “shared interest.”
10. Competitive pay rates
College babysitters may charge less than providers who work full-time. That being said, babysitting is a lot of work, and babysitters must be responsible and attentive. It far exceeds the responsibility most minimum wage jobs carry.
Always check and see what the average sitter charges in your area (the babysitter pay rate calculator is a great tool) and work with your sitter to find a rate you’re both comfortable with.